1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly, to a dispenser for a washing machine having a bubble generator, an ozone generator, and a radical generator formed integrally.
2. Prior Art
Most washing machines wash the laundry by using the mechanical force of a pulsator or drum and the surface active force of a chemical detergent. Accordingly, in order to improve the washing efficiency, many washing machine makers have utilized various methods including: improving the pulsator's ability to agitate the laundry, extending the operation time of the motor and/or the water flow time, and improving the quality and/or increasing the quantity of detergent used in the washing machine. However, there are limits to improve the washing efficiency by the aforementioned methods for the following reasons. The methods utilizing increased mechanical force to improve the washing efficiency may cause damage to the laundry or to decrease efficiency of the clothes washing machine.
In the methods utilizing increased amounts of detergent, a relatively large amount of the detergent which does not react with the laundry is then discharged where it can later cause environmental pollution, and also the remaining detergent sticks to the laundry and thus the laundry is not effectively cleaned.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,129, (issued to Byung-Kew Jang. on Aug. 5, 1997) discloses a bubble automatic washing machine which has a bubble generator and an ozone generator connected to each other in parallel.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional bubble automatic washing machine 100 with a bubble generator and an ozone generator connected to each other in parallel, described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,129.
The washing machine 100 includes a housing 102 and a stationary washer tub 104 fixedly mounted within housing 102 for containing a level of washing fluid therein. Pulsator 106 is rotatable in a forward or reverse direction to create a vortex flow within rotatable tub 112.
The upside of washing machine 100 is provided with a door 108 for loading and unloading the laundry articles . Bubble feeding means 130 is mounted on the inner surface of door 108 to extend toward rotatable tub 112. Bubble generator 110 is shown in FIG. 2 in detail. An air pump 116 is communicated with bubble generator 110 through an air conduit 114. In the drawings, air pump 116 is installed at the bottom plate of washing machine 100 but may be installed at any other suitable place.
Bubble generator 110 includes a telescopic pipe 202 which is movable upward and downward, and driver 204 for actuating telescopic pipe 202. Though 3-stage telescopic pipe 202 is shown in the drawings, the number of stages is not especially limited as long as the washing machine operates smoothly.
Telescopic pipe 202 is fixed to a casing 218 of driver 204 coaxially with rotatable tub 124. Casing 218 is fixed to the inner surface of door 108 and a DC motor 206 is installed to casing 218. A driving shaft 208 of DC motor 206 is operatively connected to a first pulley 210 which is operatively connected to a second pulley 214 through a belt 212.
Second pulley 214 has a groove for belt 212 and gear teeth formed separately and a flexible plastic string 216 is wound on the gear teeth. A train of teeth are formed on flexible string 216 to mesh with the gear teeth. Flexible string 216 has a flexibility suitable for being forced to expand and withdraw telescopic pipe 202.
Flexible string 216 extends within, through a hole 219 formed to casing 218, an inner telescopic pipe 220 which is coaxially installed inside telescopic pipe 202 and has the top end fixed to casing 218. The end of flexible string 216 is fixed to the lower end of inner pipe 220 which is fixed to the lower end of telescopic pipe 202.
The lowest stage of telescopic pipe 202 is provided with a plurality of blow-out holes 222 to create air bubbles. Air conduit 114 extends through casing 218 and communicates with inside of telescopic pipe 202. A space between telescopic pipe 202 and inner pipe 220 serves as an air passage and the air flowing out of air conduit 114 blows into rotatable tub 112, sequentially passing through the space and blow-out holes 222.
An ozone generator 118 may be further installed between air pump 116 and driver 204 in order to kill bacteria inhabiting the laundry articles. As a result, ozone is contained in air bubbles blowing into rotatable tub 124 to remove bacteria from the laundry articles.
Moreover, a heater 120 may be installed between ozone generator 118 and driver 204 in order to create a hot air stream for drying the laundry articles. The air stream generated from air pump 116 flows through air conduit 114 to heater 120 to heat up and is transmitted to the laundry articles within rotatable tub 112.